When mission intensity undermines health

It’s often easy to blur the line between personal identity and work identity where heart and mission lead in a field like nonprofits. This conversation focuses on the tension between deep care and personal sustainability and how passion can both fuel and consume us. We unpack what it means to lead with empathy without surrendering ourselves in the process. From embracing structure to letting go of over-sacrifice, we invite leaders and others alike to consider a healthier and more honest way of showing your enthusiasm. 

Jamie Tworkowski is a keynote speaker, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide, and NYT bestselling author of ‘If You Feel Too Much’. Having known him for his sensitivity, big feelings, and later-in-life ADHD diagnosis, Jamie has grown into a grounded, intentional leader. With over a decade of experience in the movement, Jamie now advocated for mental health, self-awareness, and sustainable ways of caring for others and for oneself. He is also a strong believer that vulnerability leads to connection, that connection is crucial to life, and ultimately that life is worth living. He joined us today to talk about the complexities of leading with heart in the nonprofit sector. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

- Discover the importance of self-awareness.

- Learn about the importance of understanding motivations, honoring limits, and finding worth outside of performance.

- Understand why a culture that supports rest and care needs to be created.

- Uncover the complexities of intertwined personhood and work identity. 

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Many thanks to our sponsor, Neon One for making this episode possible. I love partnering with Neon One because I believe they care for the whole nonprofit, and I know that my clients will be well taken care of. I also love how they work with consultants to value our time and expertise. They pay for speaking at their events, and they understand how consultants support the entire sector. To learn more about Neon One’s partner program CLICK HERE.

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Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

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If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.